Community school kicks off second semester at Tech

LYNN – A community school at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute that caters to learners of all ages is going strong in its second semester, which started this week, according to its organizers.The school opened last fall to about 130 students, who took six-week classes such as cooking, conversational English, swim classes and family reading courses.The first week of the second semester is building off that success, said Kevin McDormand, a teacher at Lynn Tech and director of the program.”We have a ton of returning students,” he said.McDormand said many of the more popular classes are also returning – including recreational volleyball – as well as a literary class for young readers and their families that McDormand said is rewarding to take part of.”To see a 3-year-old at the program telling me what their favorite book was is pretty interesting,” he said. “It’s amazing how much a good book resonates with a child.”On Tuesdays, the school hosts a conversational Spanish class and an introduction to Microsoft Office class. And Thursdays is a cooking class where students get to cook what they eat, McDormand said.There are also some new classes starting up this semester, including a rape/aggression defense class taught by a Lexington Police officer.All the courses are aimed at teaching real-life skills, he said.”It’s really rewarding to watch some of the things that are happening,” McDormand said. “We have students in conversational English classes, people learning to swim, people learning to cook and just acquiring skills that are necessary for everyday life.”All courses run six weeks and average $40 a course, with some courses as low as $20, McDormand said. He said keeping fees low is part of the program.”It’s really cool to see these classes that are incredibly low-cost for the students doing so much for those students,” he said.The program also brings together a wide variety of people who might not otherwise interact with each other.For example, Lynn School Committee member Charlie Gallo plays on the recreational volleyball team alongside English language learners and city councilors. Lynn Police officers also take classes, McDormand said.”There’s a lot of ability for people to cross paths with people they either know or know of,” he said.McDormand said it’s not too late to sign up for a class. You can visit www.facebook.com/LynnCEP or contact McDormand by email, [email protected], or at 781-832-0222. Most classes start by 6 p.m. each night.Amber Parcher can be reached at [email protected].